Cause and Effect
by Sabrina Lonewalker
Summary: A mercenary mission gone wrong sends Kermit Griffin into an tailspin. He calls an old friend for help but almost does the unthinkable before she arrives . Yes, I said She. However, a janitor at a local diner helps him see his path then disappears. Years later they meet again in a way even Kermit didn't anticipate. ATTENTION! Non Canon.
1. Chapter 1

**CAUSE AND EFFECT**

**CHAPTER ONE**

**by**

**Sabrina Lonewalker**

** Kermit Griffin shakily unlocked the door to the apartment he maintained here in Carlsburg and almost staggered in, closing the door behind him quickly. The first thing he did was turn up the heat. Man, he had forgotten just how cold the Northern Steppes of Russia could get in January. He had spent so much time in the Middle East lately that when Paul suggested this assignment, he had jumped at it. Now, he wished that he hadn't taken it, and not just because of the weather. **

** Kermit walked into the tiny kitchen after tossing his coat and briefcase onto the sofa and made himself a pot of very hot, very strong coffee. As he waited for the coffeemaker to do its job, his hands gripped the edge of the granite countertop, his knuckles turning white.**

** "Dammnit," He thought, "You really let this one get to you, Griffin. How could you have been so stupid? You let your guard down for one freakin' minute and all hell breaks loose. Maybe you shouldn't be doing this anymore, not if this is what's going to happen." He forced his mind to go back over it all again, to see where exactly it all went so wrong.**

** It was to have been a fairly simple assignment, according to the briefing Paul gave him. All Kermit had to do was go in, find a certain set of very classified, stolen documents that were extremely secret and then get out, bringing them back home. Simple assignment, right? WRONG! Kermit hadn't counted on meeting her, a young woman named Mariska. She wasn't even involved with what he was after. He had met her at the small coffee shop she worked at, behind the counter. Her dark hair and those dark blue eyes of hers had definitely caught his attention. They had gotten to talking everytime he had come in and they became friends. It was never more than that, cause Kermit knew better.**

** What had excited him was the day they talked and she told him that her brother worked in the very building he needed to get into. In that conversation, he had learned the various entrances and exits, plus the presence of a highly sophisicated security system. That presented no problem for him, he knew he could get past it. Three nights later, he had penetrated the building and it's systems and had gotten what he was after. Two days after that he was preparing to leave to return home when he stopped to say goodbye to Mariska but she wasn't there. When he asked one of her co-workers where she was, he got a shock.**

** The police had rounded up her and her entire family because of the theft of some classified documents. Her brother was known to work there and the police believed that she and her brother had worked together to steal the folder in order to sell it as the family desperately needed money. Kermit had left in a daze. 'Strange,' he thought to himself, 'She never mentioned needing cash.' He couldn't help them he knew, not without exposing himself for what he really was. The return of the documents were vital to his government and, more importantly, he couldn't let Paul down, no matter what. It was one of the hardest things that Kermit Griffin had ever done, to walk to the station and board the train that would take him south, to the meeting with the agent who would get him out of Russia.**

** Once in the train compartment, alone, Kermit sat huddled in a corner. Mariska was a friend and a total innocent, but there was nothing he could do to help her. He knew the techniques the police there would use in their interrogations, hell, he had been through that before himself and he knew she had no chance at all. Hopefully, by the time she mentioned meeting him, if she ever did, he would be long gone and out of the country. He stared out the window at the snowy countryside, not really seeing it as it passed rapidly by.**

** He finally reached Moscow and his contact. Three hours later, he was on a plane and on his way home. Upon arriving back in Carlsburg, he turned the folder over to Paul, who looked at him keenly, sensing something was wrong, but said nothing, for which the frog was grateful. Kermit had then driven here, to his refuge, his hiding place.**

** He almost jumped out of his skin as the coffeemaker beeped that it was finished. He then poured a large, steaming mug and took it with him as he moved to his computer setup. He took a long swallow of the hot, inky black fluid, feeling its warmth rush throughout his entire body. The heat in the apartment was helping too, as his bones began to lose that chill that had become a constant, tangible part of him during the past two months. He let out a soft sigh and then sat down. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he called up the screen he wanted. He then proceeded to hack his way into the Russian Police database. What he found made his blood run cold again, in spite of the coffee and the heat from the furnance. Mariska and her entire family had been executed as traitors. He stared at the information on his computer screen, not wanting to believe his own eyes.**

** "Damn! Dammit all to hell! You can't even complete a simple assignment without getting someone killed, can you Griffin?" He asked himself. He changed clothes, packed a duffle and dashed off a short e-mail. Then, he locked the apartment behind him and, tossing the duffle into the back seat of his green Corvair, he got behind the wheel and just started driving. **

** He wasn't sure just where he was going or what he would do once he got there, but he knew he had to do get away and wrestle with this himself or he was going to end up doing one of two things, either go completely insane, or he was going to take out his Desert Eagle, put the muzzle into his mouth, pull the freakin' trigger and end it all.**

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**CAUSE AND EFFECT**

**CHAPTER TWO**

**by**

**Sabrina Lonewalker**

** Kermit had no idea just how long he had been driving. It was getting daylight, so he knew he had been driving all night, but he never paused to look at his watch. He finally spotted the familiar roadside motel and pulled into the parking lot. Getting a room in this place was never problem for him and he found the room he always used, northwest corner, first floor. Once inside, he threw his duffle onto the chair and sprawled out on the bed. He couldn't sleep, cause everytime he closed his eyes, he saw Mariska's laughing face, those blue eyes of hers sparkling with happiness. Then, he had a vision of her dead face, eyes wide open and staring, sightless. He threw the sunglasses across the room and covered his face with his hands. He had to deal with this, but he didn't know how to.**

** He pulled out his Desert Eagle and checked the clip. It was full. He then chambered a round and just looked at the gun in his hand, thinking about just how easy it would be to end all of this right here and now. No more 'assignments', no more pain, no more screw-ups, nothing, just oblivion. It sounded so inviting. He then actually raised the pistol to put the muzzle into his mouth.**

** His cell buzzed about then and he flipped it open. "Yeah, Griffin." He replied, his voice devoid of any emotion except resignation and some anger at being interupted.**

** "Hey, frog, you ok? I got your e-mail. Are you where I think you are?" asked the voice on the other end. It was Karen Marie Townshend, an old friend and mercenary companion of his. He spoke into the instrument, his voice listless, not caring. That scared Karen, more than she wanted to admit. She had never heard such despair in her friend's voice before. He told her where he was and she told him to stay there, she would be there as soon as she could. Unknown to him, she had been in town for a few days on business and wasn't that far away. He agreed to wait and flipped the phone shut.**

** He then looked at his weapon and, with a sigh, put on the safety and placed it back into the duffle bag, after all, he could do it later, couldn't he?**

** Three hours later, there was a knock on his door and he opened it to see Karen standing there. She must have broken every land and air speed record there was to get here that fast, he thought wryly. He stood back to let her come in and then closed the door. She looked at him, tossing her own duffle onto the chair.**

** "Ok, frog, what happened? You sounded different, not like you at all. You have me worried." Kermit sat on the edge of the bed and again buried his face in his hands. Karen waited, knowing how Kermit was. He was trying to organize his chaotic thoughts into a coherent stream. She knew something was wrong because his e-mail had been jumbled, almost confusing, but she had understood the gist of it, he needed her help. It had been a cry unlike any she had ever heard from him before so, here she was, waiting, Finally, he raised his face from his hands and looked at her. Karen was frightened. His blue eyes, usually so expressive, looked dead, like orbs of cold, blue ice. She caught her breath and laid a hand on his arm.**

** "Kermit, what is it? You can tell me, you know that." He drew in a shuddering breath and finally, he opened up, telling her about the assignment, Mariska and what all had happened. For once, Karen had nothing to say. The pain coming from her friend was palpable, like waves crashing on the seashore. After what seemed like an eternity, Karen looked at her closest friend in the entire world.**

** "You can't blame yourself, Kermit. Anyone else could have been on this mission and the results would most likely have been the same. If you had never met Mariska and this had happened, would it have this effect on you?" The dark haired man's head shot up and looked into her face. The pain in his eyes actually made her flinch. His voice was rough, angry and dark.**

** "No, of course it wouldn't. But she and I talked, got to know each other. We became friends and now, because of me, her and her entire family are dead! Karen, I was seriously thinking about killing myself when you called me. I almost had the muzzle in my mouth." He shot to his feet and began pacing. Karen shook her head sadly, seeing just how hard this was on him. It also frightened her to hear him talk that way. Kermit had never mentioned suicide before, not even when he had lost his little brother, David. She got up and tossed Kermit his jacket.**

** "Come on, get your glasses and let's get some food into you. That small diner is still open down the highway. Come on, you need to eat, my friend, before you fall over." He looked at her and half-smiled. Trust Karen to do the 'practical' thing. Soon, the two were in her rental car and driving down the highway to the small diner she had passed coming in. Once inside, Kermit headed for the booth in the back corner of the diner, sliding into the seat with his back against the wall, as always. Karen smiled and took the seat opposite. The waitress came and handed each a menu, then took their order for coffee.**

** After she left, Kermit just stared out the window into the rising afternoon sun. Karen was quiet, knowing her friend would talk when he was ready and not a moment before. She watched him, all dressed in black, jeans, shirt, boots and jacket. She knew that his clothing tended to match his mood and right now, his mood was very, very dark. Soon, their coffee arrived and they then ordered. After sipping the black stuff in silence for a couple of minutes, Kermit sighed and looked at his friend. He was always a little suprised by her willingness to come and let him 'chew on her ear' as she would phrase it. **

** Most people had trouble believing that he and Karen were just friends. There was always a wink and a nod from his listeners when he told them that fact, but it was true. They were just that, friends and nothing more. They could make people believe they were lovers if they had to, like during an assignment, but Karen was in a very steady relationship with a guy in Texas named Micheal. Kermit had lost his third wife, Leandra, in a drunk driving crash two years before, and he was not ready for another serious relationship, not by a long shot.**

** He began telling his friend about meeting Mariska in the little coffee shop and how they had found it so easy to talk to each other, finding that they had some things in common. He also explained how, when he had discovered that her brother worked in the building he needed to get into, he had asked rather adroit questions, finding out about the entrances, exits and security system. He had had no thought that anyone would ever accuse her and her family of taking the documents and he couldn't come forward without blowing his cover.**

** Karen heard the pain in his voice as he wound down. Their food arrived and soon Kermit was picking at it rather listlessly. At Karen's insistance, however, he did begin to eat. After making sure he ate everything, they lingered over another cup of coffee. This was one of those diners where no one ever got into a hurry and if you wanted to stay and talk for awhile, no problem.**

** Both mercs had noticed the somewhat elderly man with shoulder length grey hair mopping the floor when they came in, but they then seemed to ignore him as they talked. Kermit was still berating himself over what had happened, thinking that there must have been something he could have done to save them. For once, Karen didn't know what to say to ease her friend's pain. They both looked up at the sound of a soft, calm voice and saw it was the elderly janitor. His eyes were grey and unruffled, like clouds in a still sky. He looked at them apologtically.**

** "Forgive me if I am interfering, but I can sense that you, my friend, are in a great deal of pain. Perhaps I can help you? I would like to try, if you wish." His voice was soft, but with an underlying strength that made Karen hope that maybe he could help her friend. Her heart gave a leap when Kermit let out a short laugh and said, "What the hell? It can't hurt. Sit down, I'll tell you all of the gory, disgusting details."**

** The man slid onto the seat beside Karen and, reaching across the table, laid one hand on Kermit's. To Karen's great suprise, not only did he not pull his hand away, soon, Kermit was spilling the whole, sad story to a complete stranger!**

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**CAUSE AND EFFECT**

**CHAPTER THREE**

**by**

**Sabrina Lonewalker**

** As Kermit poured out his story and his pain, including his thoughts about committing suicide, the stranger listened intently, and Karen even saw tears sparkle in his eyes as he listened to Kermit's pain over what had happened. After Kermit went silent, the man was also silent for a few moments. He then looked full into Kermit's face. His next words astounded Karen and sent a leap of fear into Kermit's eyes.**

** "She is another one of those you were unable to save, like the one who still haunts your soul." Karen's mind raced, how did this guy know about David? Kermit's little brother, an undercover cop, who had been murdered by a Miami, Florida drug dealer. How did this guy know how it still haunted Kermit to this day? Kermit looked at this mysterious man and mutely nodded. The elderly man nodded and smiled sadly.**

** "Unfortunately, my friend, there are those we cannot save, no matter how much we believe that we can. I lost my only child several years ago. He died when our home was destroyed by an old enemy and I was unable to save him. Before that, I was unable to save his mother, my beloved, from a cruel disease. Now, I search for some spark of his essence, some small part of him that might still live. You must go on, as your brother would have wished. Help those you can and possibly they will be able to help those that you cannot. To lose someone you love is, indeed, hard but honor them by helping those you can. As long as they remain in your heart, they are never truly gone from us. My wife and my son remain here, within me and as a result, are always with me. So is it with those you have cared about and lost. Also, suicide is never the answer. It is the lowest form of deception for it never brings peace, only eternal darkness and seperation from those we love." He gave Kermit's hand a squeeze and smiled.**

** "I must return to my tasks, or I will be, I believe the term is, 'out of a job?' " He said with a slight shrug of one shoulder and a quirky, almost lopsided grin. Kermit looked up at him. His voice was husky, almost gravelly in tone.**

** "Thank you. Who are you?" The elderly man smiled.**

** "Who I am is not important. How you deal with this situation is, for how you do so could determine the rest of your life. Take care, both of you." He then reclaimed his mop and went into the back to finish his chores. Karen paid for the meal and drove Kermit back to the motel. Once inside, he promptly went to sleep. Karen smiled and spread the blanket over him. She then settled in the overstuffed armchair and curled up herself. **

** Sometime during the night she awoke to the sound of Kermit crying. She quietly walked over, sat on the edge of the bed and gathered her friend into her arms, letting him cry. She began to make out what he was saying. **

** "Mariska, David, I am sorry I couldn't be there for you, please forgive me, forgive me." After a few minutes, the tall, usually quiet mercenary finally drifted back to sleep and was quiet the rest of the night, his head pillowed in Karen's lap. Upon awakening the next morning, Kermit did feel better than he had since returning from Russia. Karen smiled as he packed his duffle.**

** "You ready to head home?" She asked. He nodded and smiled.**

** "Yeah, but can we stop at the diner? I want to thank that guy again. He was right you know. All of this with Mariska brought back those feelings I had after David's murder. I never expected it to hit me like a ton of bricks, though. I really thought I had dealt with all of that, especially when I found out Larson was responsible." Karen looked at her friend.**

** "You gone after him yet?" she asked. Kermit's gaze went dark and his voice cold.**

** "No. It seems like he's disappeared off the face of the planet but soon, I'll find him, and when I do..." His voice trailed off menacingly and Karen knew that if and when he found Larson, there would, most definitely be hell to pay. She just hoped it wouldn't cost her friend his soul.**

** Kermit followed Karen to Hertz so she could return her rental. He then insisted on driving her back to Carlsburg so she that could catch a flight from the airport there. They again stopped at that old diner and went in, ordering lunch and coffee to go. Kermit then looked at the waitress. **

** "Is your janitor here, the elderly guy with the grey hair? I wanted to speak to him again." The waitress looked at him and smiled sadly.**

** "I'm sorry but he came in just after we opened, collected his pay and left, saying he had to continue his journey. He took the bus out of town at about seven this morning. Too bad, he was a really nice man." Kermit sighed in disappointment, thanked her and then he and Karen headed back to Carlsburg.**

** Kermit had really wanted to thank the man for his help but, saw no way to do so. He had no way of knowing that, years later, he would, finally, get his chance. It was to be the culmination of an extraordinary set of circumstances but he would also learn that everything happened in its own good time and place and for a reason.**

** Kermit Griffin was soon to learn that the law of cause and effect was about to work out for him, in a way he could never have imagined.**

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**CAUSE AND EFFECT**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

**by**

**Sabrina Lonewalker**

** Kermit Griffin was typing furiously on his computer keyboard in his office at the 101st precinct here in Carlsburg. He had had this particular job now for a little over eleven years. His friend and mentor, Captain Paul Blaisdell had recommended he take it. He found it rewarding and still had time off to pursue the occassional, odd 'assignment' that Paul found for him once in a while. He stopped typing and stared into space. It was one of those 'assignments', seven years before, that had almost cost him his sanity.**

** He didn't think about Mariska much anymore, except with a tang of regret. The guilt was still there, but not as all consuming as it had been when he first returned home after that mission. He still wondered about that mysterious man he and Karen had met at that diner, though. The guy had an uncanny way of knowing exactly what Kermit had been feeling, and his words had helped the anguished mercenary come to terms with his life and its consequences, good or bad. He sighed, shook his head sadly and resumed typing. He needed to get this code into the computer so that he could then crack it. He knew that his new partner, Peter Caine needed it for the case they were working together. He smiled, remembering meeting Peter about six years before, just as he was graduating from the Carlsburg Police Academy. **

** Paul had introduced them and Kermit had been impressed by the young man's demeanor. Paul was obviously proud of his foster son and Peter adored the man who had plucked him out of the orphange nine years before. Paul had told Kermit how suprised he had been when Peter had told him how he wanted to be a cop. Well, now, here he was. Peter had been a detective for almost seven years now and was good at his job. Paul had recently teamed up the two men and Kermit found he liked working with this kid. There were still some things he couldn't quite figure out, such as, why sometimes this kid reminded him so much of that elderly man at the diner? It was weird, Kermit thought, but some of the kid's mannerisms, like that grin, just exact copies of the elderly janitor's.**

** Kermit shrugged his shoulders and hit the 'enter' key. He then waited and soon, the code began scrolling across his screen. It took the 101's computer guru all of five minutes to crack this nut. He then let out a loud, "Oh Yeah!" Peter came in after that, hazel eyes shining with anticipation.**

** "Please, Kermit, tell me we got him, this time?" Kermit turned to his partner, his grin bigger than any Peter had ever seen before.**

** "Come on, kid. Was there ever any doubt? There isn't a computer code invented yet that I can't crack. We've got him, Peter. Talbert is all ours now." He hit the 'print' key and sheet after sheet of paper was spitting out of the printer. Kermit printed out four copies and carried them into Blaisdell's office, Peter trailing along behind. **

** Paul looked up and smiled as his two best detectives walked into his office. He knew that look on Griffin's face. He had seen it too many times before and it always boded ill for those the frog was after. Kermit grinned.**

** "We've got 'em, Captain. We've got Talbert. That code was no problem. You want Peter and I to go get him?" Blaisdell looked over one copy of their information. He then looked at them and said one word.**

** "Go." Peter and Kermit headed for the police parking lot and the green Corvair, Peter's car being in the shop, again. It didn't take them long to find Talbert and haul him in. Once back at the precinct, they were finishing up the paperwork when they got another call, about an explosion in Chinatown, at one of the apothecary shops. Blaisdell came out of his office.**

** "Peter, you and Kermit are the only cops I have right now who speak Chinese, so go, take care of this." The two left, not realizing that all of the questions that both of them had been asking themselves were about to be answered in an extraordinary way, and by the same man.**

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

**CAUSE AND EFFECT**

**CHAPTER FIVE**

**by**

**Sabrina Lonewalker**

** Peter and Kermit reached the scene not long after the ambulances had left. The officers on duty told them what they had discovered so far in the neighborhood canvas. All had been quiet, as usual, when a sudden, loud explosion had ripped through the apothecary. The one called the Ancient had been carried out by his assisstant. Then, someone had called 911 and then the cops arrived. No, no one knew the name of the assisstant. About then, the fire captain came out. He walked over to Kermit.**

** "Hey, Griffin. This was no accidential explosion. We found what was left of a couple of explosive devices. This was deliberate. Looks like C-4 was used but we'll know more after the bomb squad gets through. Hello, Peter. It's funny, one of the paramedics said that the assisstant muttered your name as they were putting him in the ambulance. Maybe he saw you around somewhere and wanted to tell you something." Peter looked at his partner with an air of complete confusion. Kermit shook his head.**

** "Why don't we let the uniforms do this and you and I go to County and talk to our two survivors?" Peter nodded in agreement and the two men were soon on their way. Once they arrived they were met by the Dr on duty, Dr. Marie Sabourn. When she saw the two detectives, she nodded.**

** "You're here to interview our newest patients?" She asked guilelessly. Kermit and Peter grinned. Kermit nodded.**

** "I'm afraid so, beautiful. What can you tell us?" She looked at the charts she carried.**

** "Well, the Ancient is still unconscious from a concussion. I expect him to make a full recovery, though. The other one is in Trauma Two. He doesn't have any really serious injuries, mostly minor burns and lacerations, so you should be able to talk to him. I'd rather only one of you talk to him right now. Maybe you, Peter. According to the admissions form, his name is Caine, Kwai Chang Caine."**

** The silence from Peter was so profound that Kermit looked at him in concern. He then noticed that his partner's face was as white as a sheet. Kermit looked at him closely.**

** "Hey, Peter, you ok? You act like you've seen a ghost." It was as if the younger cop didn't hear him at first. Then, he turned confused and hopeful hazel eyes to his partner's face.**

** "She said Kwai Chang Caine. She did say that, didn't she?" He asked, almost in desperation. Kermit frowned and nodded.**

** "Yeah, kid, she did say that. Do you know this guy?"**

** Peter began to smile tenatively, a little nervous and hopeful.**

** "If she's right, Kermit, then I just found my dad, the one I tould you and Paul about. He's alive, he's really alive." Kermit hoped Peter was right, and it was a rather, shall we say, unusual name. He patted his partner on the shoulder and told him to go on and find out for sure.**

** While Peter was gone, Kermit pulled out his cell and called Paul. He told the Captain of the 101st what was going on so that he would be prepared if what Peter suspected was, indeed, true.**

** About an hour after Kermit finished the call, Peter strolled out of the trauma room looking like a man who had been given a second chance. He walked up to Kermit, his face beaming. Kermit grinned.**

** "So, kid, you were right?" Peter smiled hugely and suddenly hugged the suprised cop, who stiffened, but Peter never noticed.**

** "It's him, Kermit, it's my father. He's alive. He also knows who set the explosions. His name is Tan and he's the one who destroyed the temple where we lived and caused us to be seperated. He's in town and he's after my father. The problem is, if he knows about Dad, he now knows about me as well." Kermit looked thoughtful and then nodded.**

** "Which also makes you a target. Ok, kid, back to the 101. We have to talk to Paul about this, ok? I'll put a guard on your father and the Ancient." He pulled out his cell and made the necessary calls. He then looked at his still smiling partner.**

** "Hey, Peter, how is he?" Peter blinked and looked at Kermit.**

** "He's ok, a few scrapes, bruises and burns, like Dr. Sabourn said, but nothing really serious. He found the devices before they went off and was getting Lo Sei and himself out when they blew up. The explosion knocked Lo Sei into the wall, thus the concussion. Dad took some flying debris shielding the Ancient with his body but other than that, both are going to be just fine."**

** The two drove back to the 101st and Peter went into the Captain's office to tell him what he had found out. Kermit went into his own office, musing on what had happened so far, not knowing how soon he would meet Peter's father face to face and recognize that this was the man had helped him all those years ago.**

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**Cause and Effect**

**Chapter Six**

**by**

**Sabrina Lonewalker**

** Kermit sat at his desk, once again tapping away furiously on his computer keyboard, working on another encrypted file that he had intercepted from another criminal who thought he could outsmart the cops. Well, he wasn't going to outsmart this particular cop, not this time! When Peter came in, Kermit almost yelled at him, but stopped himself in time, after all, Peter was involved in this case too. The younger cop grinned as he noticed the scowl on his partner's face. He recognized the mood, he had seen them before and had survived. He perched himselfon the edge of his partner's desk and grinned that engaging lopsided grin Kermit had come to recognize as Peter in a good mood.**

** "Well, frog, how are you doing with our encryption code?" Kermit let loose with a low but good natured growl as he looked at his friend, noticing how the young man's entire attitude had altered since finding his natural father a few weeks earlier. Kermit thought back to County General and the look on Peter's face when he saw who was in Trauma Two. The emotions that had crossed the younger cop's face had ranged the gamut from total suprise to immense joy. There was fear there as well, for Peter had told Kermit about Tan and the bad blood between him and Peter's father. That had put Peter in danger ever since they had learned that Tan was in Carlsburg. Captain Blaisdell, Peter's foster father and Kermit had kept a wary eye out ever since. Kermit hadn't met Kwai Chang Caine yet but he had a feeling that he would soon. **

** About then, Kermit's computer let loose with an insistant beep and both men watched in satisfaction as the screen scrolled out the information they had been hoping for. Another suppossed 'super code' had once again been smashed by the 101's resident computer guru. Peter gathered up the printout from the computer and headed for the Captain's office, Kermit trailing behind him. Paul Blaisdell looked up expectedly as his two best detectives came into his office and Peter laid the stack of printout on his desk. The two men waited as their captain went over every sheet in the stack. Finally, the silver haired cop looked up and actually grinned! Peter and Kermit relaxed then and Paul told them to go get their suspect. **

** Two hours later, they were back, their suspect firmly in custody. Now began the tedious process of the paperwork and interrogation. Peter left the interrogation part of it to Kermit and Paul, since they were better at it than the younger cop. Peter started on the paperwork and was about halfway through when he felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into the face of his father, Kwai Chang Caine. Peter smiled in welcome and gestured to the chair beside his desk. The elderly shaolin sat gracefully and scrutinized his son carefully. Peter did look tired but he also looked satisfied, as he always did at the conclusion of a successful case. Peter looked into those loving, grey eyes and was still having trouble believing that he was sitting here, the one man Peter had never thought he would see again. **

** "I'll be with you soon, Pop. I have to finish filing this report and find out what Kermit and Paul got out of our chief suspect. Once I do that, we can go to lunch. I hope you don't mind the wait, unfortunately, that's one of the problems with this job, we never have a set schdule of doing things." Caine inwardly winced at the sound of the word 'Pop' but said nothing, merely nodding his head in acceptance. He then sat back to watch his son interact with his colleagues at the precinct. **

** About half an hour later, Kermit and Paul came out of interrogation. Paul went back to his office, and Kermit stopped at Peter's desk to give him the transcript of the questioning. He glanced at the elderly man sitting by Peter's desk. He started to move on when he froze and slowly turned back around to look at the elderly, grey haired man sitting quietly. Peter noticed the look on his partner's face and spoke up. "Kermit, what is it? You look as if you've seen a ghost. What is it?" Kermit slowly walked back over to the desk and looked down. Then, his face broke into a wide grin and he nodded.**

** "So, it is you. I hoped to meet you again."**

** Peter looked puzzled. He looked at his father and then back at Kermit.**

** "You two have met before?" Kermit continued to grin.**

** "Yeah, about seven years ago at an old diner. It's a long story kid, and one I will tell you about later. You deserve to hear it since your father is responsible for saving my life, not to mention my sanity. I wanted to thank you for that but you had already moved on when I tried to." Caine rose smoothly to his feet and laid one hand on the taller detectives shoulder. **

** "I am glad I was able to assisst you that day. I am also pleased to learn that you are my son's friend. Yes, we will talk later. Please, you are welcome to come to my home tonight and tell my son about our encounter." Kermit could tell that Peter really wanted to hear about this so he agreed. They would meet that night at Caine's kwoon to talk.**

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

**CAUSE AND EFFECT**

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

**by**

**Sabrina Lonewalker**

** Peter was nervous that night as he pulled up in front of his father's kwoon. He really wanted to hear about how his dad had helped his, now, best friend. Knowing Kermit, it had to be an interesting story, especially since Caine had been involved. He smiled as he saw that the Kermitmobile was already parked outside. He then walked in and found them quietly talking over a cup of tea. Peter walked over and lightly kissed his father's forehead, than sat down with them. After a few minutes of companionable silence, Kermit began to tell Peter about the mission to Russia, Mariska and what had happened afterwards. Peter was fasinicated by the tale and rather proud of how his father had helped the grieving mercenary. Kermit grinned ruefully and looked over at his partner.**

** "If it hadn't been for your dad, Pete, I would, in all likeliehood have blown my brains out that night. That's how disgusted I had become with myself." Peter was shocked. Kermit thinking about suicide? He had never thought that Kermit would have even considered that option. Peter's face must have shown what he was thinking cause Kermit looked over at him.**

** "I know, kid, me, thinking about ending it all. But I was so disgusted with myself that I was about ready to do it. I blamed myself for what had happened to Mariska and her family. Later, of course, I discovered that the documents her brother had been accused of taking were not the ones I had gone in after, so it wasn't really my fault, but Mariska and I had become such good friends in so short a time, that I mistakenly believed I had done something that had gotten her and her family into trouble with the KGB. Fortunately for me, however, your father, quite literally, saved my life that afternoon and I have wanted to thank him ever since, but how, Caine?" Kermit asked, turning to face the elderly shaolin. "How can I ever repay what you've done for me?"**

** Kwai Chang Caine smiled that slow, enegimatic smile of his and turned to the ex- merc/cop. His voice, when he spoke, was low, calm and full of the inner strength that was an essential part of his being. Peter remembered that strength from his time at the temple and had missed it tremendously. He was so glad he could feel it and draw upon it again. **

** "You are my son's friend. All I ask that you do is watch over him whan I am unable to do so, and keep him from danger when you can. Be his friend, be his 'brother', if possible. This is how you can repay me, since you feel it is necessary to do so." **

** Kermit nodded and smiled his own slow smile. He then looked at a grinning Peter.**

** "Ok, Caine, I understand. I'll do what I can." Peter smiled and as the two men prepared to leave, the younger cop spoke only two words, but the joy in them was unmistakable.**

** "Oh, Yeah!"**

**THE END**


End file.
